Inspired Scotland

An eight metre high walking puppet, one of the newest creative social networks in Scotland and a new arts, culture and language exchange for children, all kick off this month as a result of the Scottish Arts Council’s Inspire fund.

These three projects are the first of the 11 Inspire lottery-funded projects to get underway following the £3 million funding announcement in February this year. Offering new possibilities for participation, particularly for people who have had few opportunities to participate in the arts, each was chosen for the difference they will make to Scotland’s audiences.

Big Man Walking: Puppet Lab/ Puppet Animation Scotland, Edinburgh

He’s built, he’s rehearsing and, he’s just about ready to start his historic adventure. Big Man Walking, a giant 8 metre high man created by the Puppet Lab in conjunction with Puppet Animation Scotland, will begin his walk on the Isle of Bute on 26 September.

Starting on the streets of Rothesay, the giant will explore the myths and legends of Scotland’s past, as he walks through towns and villages around the country. Follow his adventure on the Big Man walking website.

Central Station: ISO Design, Glasgow

Calling all artists, creators, designers and film makers. The long awaited and highly anticipated Central Station will launch next month and in the meantime – they need you!

Central Station will be Scotland’s newest creative social network and will provide a space where creative people can focus their digital activity, develop networks and create and share new work. Central Station will combine online activity with a series of new commissions, offer access to rich digital archives, learning resources, and a series of live events and creative challenges.

The fruits of Central Station’s first creative challenge, short film piece a short film piece Uzzz is currently screening at GFT . From 17 September, Central Station is looking for artists, designers and film makers to start uploading their work, thoughts and ideas in preparation for next month’s global launch. So log on, submit your work and be part of this exciting project on the Central Station website.

Air Iomlaird

Air Iomlaid is a boundary-breaking visual arts project linking children in Skye and Edinburgh, uniting primary school pupils through the common use of Gaelic as a teaching medium. Involving 11 Artists and 670 Children, with the potential to reach 12,500 pupils throughout Scotland through Scotland’s schools intranet GLOW, Air Iomlaid (Gaelic for ‘On Exchange’) is an 18-month project which aims to open up the exchange of creative ideas, visual arts techniques and explore culture and language throughout Scottish schools.

Earlier this month, children from Tollcross Primary in Edinburgh visited pupils from Bun Sgoil Shèite in Skye, where they took part in an intensive, week-long programme of drawing and painting outside with professional artists, investigating the local landscape and environment and learning about the natural history of the area and Gaelic vocabulary.

The children from Skye will return the exchange, visiting Edinburgh from 28 September until 2 October.

Using new technologies to share drawings and ideas, the students will work together to produce large scale artworks and animations that will be developed in collaboration with professional artists. An exhibition of the works produced will take place at The Fruitmarket Gallery and Sabhal Mor Ostaig, on Skye early next year.